Fifth wheel handle



FIFTH WHEEL HANDLE Filed Oct. 11, 1949 IN V EN TOR.

Patented Jan. 1, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT. OFF! 2,581,254 FIFTH WHEEL HANDLE Elmer J. Greenawalt, Alli American Steel Foundr poration of New Jersey ance, Ohio, assignor to ies, Chicago, 111., a cor- Application October 11,1949, SerialNo. 120,759

11 Claims. (01. 2s0 3s.o5)

I This invention relates to fifth wheels for cilitate unlocking the mechanism.

Standard coupling arrangements for tractor and trailer combinations embody a fifth wheel Another object is to provide such an attachment which will not interfere with the usual operation of the fifth wheel assembly.

without distorting the parts.

A still further object is to provide an attachment which may be applied to fifth wheels presently in use.

,These and other objects of the invention will become more apparent from the specification and the drawings, wherein: v

Figure 1 is a top plan view of one half of a conventional fifth wheel with the invention applied thereto;

Figures 2 and 3 are views similar to Figure l,

Figure 2 showing the attachment rotated to unlock the latch, and Figure 3 showing the position l2 in the plate for coupling in conventional manner with a coupler mechanism generally designated M, as will be readily understood by those skilled in the art.

The coupler mechanismforms no part of the 24 in the flange 5. .The lever is slidably supported adjacent its outer end on an edge 26 on the flange 6 at the bottom of the slot 24.

otation of the lever in a clockwise direction R (Figures 1-8) is limited by a surface 28 on the ing in a clockwise direction through abutment with surface 28 and in a counterclockwise direction through abutment with a latch 30 which is pivotally mounted at its upper end on a pin 32, connected to the flange -6 and a bracket 34, the bracket being preferably formed integral with the flange 6. The latch in looking position extends across the slot 24 in the path of movement of the lever in a counterclockwise direction and is abuttable with a stop 36 on the bracket 34 to limit counterclockwise rotation (Figures 4 and 5) of the latch. It will be apparent from a consideration of Figures 4 and 5 that in order to rotate the lever from the position shown in Figure l to the position shown in Figure '3, the latch 30 must be rotated in a clockwise direction from across the slot to a position above and out of the path of movement of the lever.

The feature of the present invention is to provide an attachment or handle member for the operating lever and which may be applied in such manner to the lever as to unlock the latch and interlock with the lever, whereby the attachment, which increases the operating leverage, and the lever may be rotated in unison to unlock the coupler while the latch is maintained in unlocked position.

The attachment comprises an elongated member including a handle 38 provided with a handhold 40 at its outer end and with a socket A2 at its inner end. The socket is adapted to receive the outer end of the operating lever 20 and comprises spaced top and bottom walls 44 and 46, spaced side walls 48 and 50, and an inner wall 52. The walls 48, so and 52 extend between the 8 top and bottom walls 44 and 46 and are connected thereto and the wall 52 extends between to. integral with the inner end of The inner side of wall 50 is provided with a substantially fiat surface 54 adjacent its inner end and with an outwardly flaring cam surface 56 at its outer end, and the wall .48 diverges away from wall 50 outwardly of the'socket.

The walls 44 and 4B are connected to atongue member or latch releaser 5B which extends at one side of the socket forwardly thereof. The tongue member is provided with a generally flat surface 50 on its side adjacent the socket for engagement with the adjacent forward side 68 of the operating lever. The tongue member 58 is provided intermediate its ends with spaced top and bottom lugs 62, 62' projecting outwardly of surface 60 and adapted to engage the top and bottom sides of the lever 20 in order to maintain the tongue member 58 in alignment with the lever 20. The outer extremity of the tongue member in the locked position of lever 20 extends into the slot 24 and engages the latch 30 to unlock the same as hereinafter described.

In operation, the handle member is initially positioned on the lever as shown in Figure l, whereat the handle member is angled rearwardly with respect to the lever 20 and the lever 20 extends into the socket 42 and bears or fulcrums on its rear side 64 against the cam or fulcrum surface 56. In this position, the tongue member 58, which extends generally longitudinally of the handle member. has its outer end positioned forwardly of the latch-30 within the slot 24 and in engagement with the latch as at 5B, the latch having been partially rotated in a clockwise direction (Figure 4).

The handle member is then rotated in a clockwise direction from the position shown in Figure l to the position shown in Figure 2, whereat the rear side 5A of the the surface 54 on wall so of the socket and the surface 68 of the tongue member 58 is caused to bear against the forward side 68 of the lever 20, the lever 20 being simultaneously received between the top and bottom lugs 62 of the tongue member 58. It will be noted that the tongue member, being rotated in a counterclockwise direction, rotates the latch 30 in a clockwise direction (Figure 5), whereby the tongue member raises the latch and slides thereunder and the latch member slidably engages as at 10 with the top side 12 of the tongue. With the latch 30 raised to unlocked position, the handle member and the lever 20 may both be rotated at point 22 in a counterclockwise direction from the position shown in Figure 2 to the position shown in Figure 3, whereat the coupler I4 is unlocked. It will be seen that the latch 30 is prevented from falling in front of the lever 20 as the handle and lever are rotated from the position shown in Figure 2 to the position shown in Figure 3 because of the engagement of the tongue 58 with the forward side 68 of the lever so that the lever will slide underneath the latch past the same. It will be noted that in the position of the handle member and the lever as shown in Figure 3, the latch 30 has rotated in a counterclockwise direction to locking position. As soon as the coupling mechanism is unlocked the handle is removed-and may be stored in the tractor for future use inasmuch as the operating mechanism will be actuated automatically to position the handle in locked position behind the latch 30 by rotating the lever 20 in a clockwise direction from the position shown in Figure 3 to the position shown in Figure 1-.

Figures '7 and 8 illustrate a modification wherein parts corresponding to those in Figures 1-6 are identified with corresponding numerals. In the present embodiment'the handheld is in the form of a loop substantially wider than the remainder of the handle member. This construction prevents the application of a pipe or the like to still further increase the leverage which would break the parts.

I claim:

1. In combination, a fifth wheel, a coupler and operating means therefor mounted on the wheel, said operating means including a lever pivoted at one end to the wheel and extending at the other end through a slot in said wheel, a latch pivoted to said wheel and rotatable across said slot to prevent rotation of the lever from a position whereat said coupler is locked to a position unlocking said coupler, and means adapted to be removably connected to said lever and release the latch comprising a member engageable with one side of the lever for rotation thereagainst and having a handle outwardly of the lever and a portion extending along the opposite side'of the lever into said slot forwardly of the latch, said latch in the locking position thereof with the lever being rotatable in a direction toward the lever to unlocking position, said portionupon predetermined rotation of the lever being moved against said latch whereby the latch is caused to rotate to unlocking position with the portion sliding thereunder and engaging said opposite side of the lever, said portion having top and bottom lugs for embracing the lever therebetween, said member and lever being rotatable in unison when said portion is brought. against said lever to 1111- an operating end, said lever-being moivable belock said coupler by sliding under the latch.- tween locked and unlocking positions, latch '2.' The combination of a fifthwheel comprismeans: movable across the path of movement of ing a coupler and actuating means the e or insaid lever and formed and arranged to accomthereof, and operating means for said lever comend of said lever and means carried by said memp s a member rotatably ta ab 0 the her arranged to move under and unlock said Other end of and c p g a handle porlatching means when said lever is in locked position extending longitudinally of the level ation upon rotation of said member in a preloop-shaped handhold at the d of d deteimined manner and to maintain said latch ber remote from said lever formed substantially 15 means unlocked whereby said member and lever Wider n h remainder of Said member, and may be moved to the unlocking position of said means at the other end of said member formed l v r,

and ar an ed to move under said lat m n 6. The combination with a fifth wheel comwhen said lever is in the locked position thereof prising a coupler and operating means h r f r upon rotation of said member in a predeter-- including a operating member and a latch said lever when said member and lever are moved the latch to the unlocked to the unlocking position of said lever.

3. In fifth wheel assembly, a wheel member into the unlocking position of said member.

7. A fifth wheel assembly comprising a coupler emd of the slot in the locked position of the and operating means therefor including a lever,

a latch releasably engageable with said lever to to prevent its movement from said one end of the means for re1eaSi.ng Said latch i rotating the of the extension adapted to project into said arranged to release and interlock with and interlock with said lever in a direction causmember are movable together In a du'ectlon mg said tongue to engage and unlock sa1d atch, lockmg the couplerwheieby sa1d tongue is moved under the latch In an extension for an Operating level of a and engaged with said lever, thereby accomfifth Wheel coupler mechanism a member modating movm a d extenslon and 1ever prising means intermediate its ends for rotatably gether in a dire ti unlocking said acumen connecting the member With the lever, a handle 4. The combina ionwith afifth wheel comprisat one end of said member including a handing a coupler and operating means therefor 111- 5 hold, and a combination latch releaser and abutcluding a lever pivoted to the wheel and t p ment adapted to engage sa1d lever to limit rotaing at one end outwardly thereof, latch carried tion of the extension in a predetermined direction. by the wheel and engageable with one side of An extellsion according o claim wherein a direction unlocking said mechanism, an exi d w h spa d m a s adap t embrace mediate its ends adapted to engage the oppo ite 10. The combination of a fifth wheel having a side of the lever, a handle at one end of said coupler mechanism and operating means therefor extension, and a tongue at the other end of the includin a l v r, a la h p d o releasebly extension adapted to engage said latch and move loo the v in a predetermined position, a it to unlocking position and then engage said handle member formed and arranged to interone side of said lever and interlock with the lever lock with said lever, and means on said handle upon rotation of said extension on said fulcrum me a p ed t engage a d m Sa a ch in a direction moving said tongue against said to the unlocked position thereof whereby said one side of the lever, whereupon sa1d lever and lever and handle are permitted to rotate together extension are movable together in said one directo unlock said coupler mechanism.

tion to unlock said coupler. 11. In an operating device for a fifth wheel 5. The combination of a fifth wheel compriscoupler mechanism the combination of a strucing a coupler and actuating means therefor inture having a slot, a lever operatively connected eluding a lever pivoted to said wheel and having to said mechanism and having a segment extending through said slot, a latch pivoted to said structure and engageable at one side thereof under the action of gravity with an edge of said segment to limit movement thereof in one direction within said slot, an actuator member pivoted to the lever and having a portion engageable with the other side of said latch for pivoting the latter out of engagement with said lever segment to accommodate engagement of said'member portion with said lever segment and to accommodate movement of said portion and segment in said direction past said latch, said portion having an upper surface above that of the lever segment when engaged therewith.

ELMER J. GREENAWALT.

8 REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

5 UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,073,566 Scheubner Mar. 9, 193'? 2,096,282 Korlering Oct. 19, 1937 2,166,308 Logan July 18, 1939 Norman et a1 Apr. 20, 1948 

